In the dead of night, Jiu Yue lay awake once more.
The remnants of that suffocating emotion still lingered in her chest. Pressing a hand over her heart, her gaze drifted to the package of Mandarin Duck Pastries on the table.
After a moment of silence, she rolled out of bed. Without lighting a lamp, she sat at the table in the dark, breaking off another small piece and placing it in her mouth... then swallowing it down with cold tea, her face expressionless.
Still tasted like mud.
Nothing like the ones she’d eaten at the teahouse that day.
Jiu Yue returned to bed.
Even if she hadn’t inherited the original host’s complete memories from the system, she could vaguely piece together the gist of it.
The original host had feelings for Prince Ping, but he had only ever used her.
Those empty promises he’d made today? She’d heard them countless times before.
Later, when Prince Ping took in that princess and they had Xue’er together, the original host finally saw through his true nature.
No wonder her reaction had been so intense today when she heard Prince Ping’s insincere words.
Even the Mandarin Duck Pastries tasted stale, flavorless.
Jiu Yue sighed, unable to suppress a pang of sympathy.
To meet such a man—what a tragedy.
She should have been a vibrant young woman, but not only had Prince Ping toyed with her heart, he’d also made her commit unspeakable crimes in his name, leaving her to bear the infamy alone.
The next day, Jiu Yue packed up and went to see Prince Ping herself.
"Your Highness! I’m ready!" She shook the jangling bundle on her shoulder, determination blazing in her eyes. "Do I leave now?"
Prince Ping: "...There’s no need to rush."
Jiu Yue: "?"
Prince Ping guided her to sit beside him, his gaze brimming with satisfaction. "A-Yue, I was worried you’d resist this. After all, you suffered a setback last time at the Regent’s hands."
Jiu Yue massaged her temples, suppressing the twitch at the corner of her eye.
Wanting both the fish and the bear’s paw—she nearly applauded his shamelessness.
But she was no amateur when it came to acting!
Lowering her hand, she fixed him with a look of unwavering devotion. "Your Highness, it’s all for our future!"
"A-Yue..." Prince Ping’s eyes softened with that damned tenderness again.
Jiu Yue braced herself—another moment of this and she’d need compensation for workplace injuries. Quickly changing the subject, she asked, "So when do I set out? Do I need to infiltrate the Regent’s estate?"
She knew that place like the back of her hand.
But Prince Ping only smiled. "No rush. In half a month, His Majesty will take the imperial consorts to Mingzhi Mountain to escape the summer heat. The Regent and I will accompany them. You’ll pose as my maidservant and seize the opportunity then."
...
And so, Jiu Yue returned to her quarters with her belongings in tow.
As she mentally reviewed the terrain of Mingzhi Mountain, footsteps sounded behind her.
She turned to see Mei Wuchang, clad in his usual black.
It had been a while. Jiu Yue regarded him with fresh curiosity.
"What were you doing in Qingnan?" she asked without preamble.
Mei Wuchang carried a bundle of his own. His eyes skimmed over her travel-ready attire, and he chuckled. "Fetching something... You’re leaving?"
Jiu Yue shrugged, tossing her bundle onto the table. "Prince Ping wants me to assassinate Sima Qing. I thought I’d go today, but he says I have to wait a few more days."
Mei Wuchang’s smile faded.
"Do you want to go?" He sat beside her, scratching his head before adding, "Last time you tried to kill Sima Qing, you ended up hunted down and thrown off a cliff. Now Prince Ping is sending you again..."
"What’s the big deal?" Jiu Yue arched a brow. "It’s not like I can refuse even if I don’t want to."
Mei Wuchang opened his mouth, then shut it, shaking his head silently.
Assassins followed orders. Willingness was a luxury reserved for their masters.
"Relax, it’s nothing." Jiu Yue grinned, pointing at his bundle. "I heard Prince Ping was in Qingnan managing flood relief recently. Things must be back to normal there now, right? Any local specialties?"
Mei Wuchang blinked.
"Some houses still need clearing, but the people are living normally..." Meeting her expectant gaze, he suddenly scratched his head and began rummaging through his bundle.
Its contents spilled out—daggers, medicine bottles, a face covering... and a ledger.
Jiu Yue froze, her eyes darting to the familiar formatting of the ledger’s pages.
Her mind flashed back to the account book she’d uncovered in Yunjiang.
Before she could dwell on it, Mei Wuchang snatched up the ledger and gave it a shake.
A single green maple leaf, still flecked with mud, drifted out.
His eyes lit up as he handed it to Jiu Yue with solemn reverence. "This... is from Qingnan."
Jiu Yue stared blankly at the leaf, taking a long moment to process that he was offering it as a local souvenir.
Uh... she’d only been making conversation!
As she absently twirled the leaf, Mei Wuchang stood.
"I’ll report to Prince Ping." With that, he vanished into the courtyard, bundle in hand.
Jiu Yue studied the maple leaf, lost in thought.
...
Study.
Mei Wuchang knelt with a thud, placing the ledger before Prince Ping.
"Your Highness, forgive me. By the time I arrived, only this remained." His jaw tightened. "They seemed prepared."
Prince Ping flipped through the ledger indifferently.
"Old foxes are hardest to trap. Lord Xu split the ledger behind my back." His eyes darkened with irritation. "Useless old fool."
Closing his eyes, Prince Ping asked, "Did you kill him?"
Mei Wuchang bowed lower. "I... failed."
Prince Ping’s eyes snapped open, his gaze venomous. "Even you couldn’t do it? Hah... I miscalculated this time."
"And the other ledger...?" Mei Wuchang ventured.
Prince Ping pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don’t bother. It’s obvious where it ended up—in the hands of my dear uncle."
That man was always ten steps ahead.
"No matter. I’ve already instructed Jiu Yue. In half a month, at the summer retreat, Sima Qing will die." His tone was flat, but hatred bled through every word.
He’d endured enough.
Sima Qing had thwarted him time and again. Whatever familial affection the title of "imperial uncle" once carried had long since eroded.
Prince Ping exhaled slowly, his face smoothing back into its usual gentleness.
Noticing Mei Wuchang still kneeling, he arched a brow. "Was there something else?"
Mei Wuchang opened his mouth—only for Prince Ping to laugh coldly.
"Don’t tell me you were about to volunteer to take Jiu Yue’s place?"
In a flash, Prince Ping was before him, fingers closing around his throat.
Mei Wuchang’s pupils contracted at the sudden fury in his master’s face.
"Wuchang, I know you see A-Yue as an elder sister. But remember who your true loyalty belongs to."
"Don’t forget how you got that scar on your face."
Mei Wuchang’s heart plummeted, his eyes dimming.
Prince Ping finally released his grip, looking down at him with a meaningful gaze. "I thought you had long understood the saying, 'Every man for himself, or heaven and earth will destroy him.'"
Mei Wuchang closed his eyes briefly.
"Your subordinate takes his leave."
A medicine vial was tossed into his arms.
Once outside the study, Mei Wuchang stepped into the sunlight and swallowed the pill under the glaring rays.
